RACING AGAINST THE WORLD
Local BMX riders headed to U.S.
Riders have been lining up for years in the very same starting gate at Globe BMX Raceway that was used for the world BMX championships held in Saskatoon back in 1997.
Now, nine local riders will get to experience a different set of gates at the current world championships, held in Rock Hill, S.C., starting on July 25.
The six boys and three girls, who range in age from six to 15 years, are believed to be the first group of racers from Saskatoon to participate in the worlds since that exciting championship in Saskatoon two decades ago. They will compete in individual male and female events classified by age over five days. Many families are making a big holiday out of the trip.
“I’m really excited and I’m happy that I get to be part of Team Canada,” 10-year-old Cael Redhead said. “Except, I’m almost a little nervous because it might be really tough.”
Joining Cael from Saskatoon to compete in the boys’ events will be Joel Van Dyck, age six, Landen Heibert, nine, Kaine Foster, 13, Jared Adam, 13, and Deklan Velkamp, 15. Local girls attending are Emily Dyck, eight, Taylor Sikorski, nine, and Makenna Foster, 15.
Cael is one of those racers who gets in as many practice laps and actual races as possible. He can often be seen taking extra time honing his skills on the track, enjoying the thrill of navigating a challenging course.
“He rode before he walked, almost,” Cael’s mother Kendal Redhead said. “We couldn’t go anywhere without the wheels.”
Redhead said he started riding when he was just two, and didn’t take long to ditch the no-longer-needed training wheels by the ripe old age of three. His dad has overseen the building of many bike jumps over the years, gradually increasing in size and challenge, now standing at eight feet long.
Cael loves every opportunity to clear a new hurdle. His mother, while very supportive, admits to her worry about jumps that might not always be cleared.
BMX riding in Saskatoon has experienced a resurgence since the development of Globe BMX Raceway near Lakewood Civic Centre around 2010. By 2014, there were around 10 or 15 riders, but that number surged to around 120 last year when the first provincial championships in recent memory were held in Saskatchewan.
Although this year’s numbers may be down to around 60, the general trend is positive for BMX in Saskatoon and the area. Another BMX track is under development in Warman, which should create great opportunities — and rivalries.
Like all the other riders headed to worlds, Taylor Sikorski has a unique love for BMX riding and can’t wait for worlds to begin. Her parents decided to joke with her one day, asking if she wanted to quit racing. Her incredulous response was, “Are you kidding me? I bleed BMX!”
Her dad Mark said the family at first kept it a secret from her when they found out she was going to the worlds. They finally revealed the news by showing her a teaser video about the worlds online, and letting her figure it out.
Now, nine local BMX riders have just a few more sleeps until they represent their province and country by participating with 3,300 other riders from 40 countries.